Jambukeswarar Temple, Trichy

Jambukeswarar Temple a must-visit destination for Shiva devotees in Tamil Nadu. 

Southern India is home to many ancient temples and incredible architectural wonders, each carrying a unique history based on significant beliefs.

One such group of temples is known as the Pancha Bhoota Sthalam, comprising five important temples situated in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. These temples have been revered for centuries, and their main deity is Lord Shiva, the supreme god in Hinduism. Lord Shiva is widely worshiped across India, often in the form of Lingam.

According to Indian tradition, the universe, including our bodies, is formed by five basic elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Sky. The Pancha Bhoota Sthalam temples symbolize these elements, with each temple dedicated to Lord Shiva representing the manifestation of a different element of nature.

The five temples and their corresponding elements are as follows: Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeshwara (water), Kanchipuram Ekambareswarar (earth), Chidambaram Nataraja (sky), Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar (fire), and Kalahasti Nathar (air).

Temple details

• Moolavar: Jambukeswarar
• Urchavar: Chandrasekharar, Somaskandar
• Thayar: Akhilandeswari
• Theertham: Nava theertham
• Worship: Saivagama
• Historical Name: Thiruvanaikaval

Legends

Once, Devi Parvati playfully ridiculed Shiva's intense penance for the betterment of the world. In response, Shiva decided to reprimand her actions and instructed her to descend from Kailasam, his abode, to the earth to engage in penance. As per Shiva's directive, Parvati assumed the form of Akilandeswari and chose the Jambu forest (Thiruvanaikaval) as her place of penance.

In the midst of the Jambu forest, she created a lingam using the waters of the Cauvery River, also known as Ponni. This unique lingam, called the Appu Lingam (Water Lingam), was crafted under the Venn Naaval tree (Jambu tree). Akilandeswari then commenced her worship with utmost devotion.

Ultimately, Shiva granted Akilandeswari darshanam and imparted Siva jnanam (knowledge of Shiva) to her. During this sacred encounter, Akilandeswari received teachings from Shiva, standing facing east, while Shiva faced west.

Within the celestial realm of Kailasam, two of Shiva's devoted disciples, Malyavan and Pushpadanta, were known for their constant quarrels and conflicts. Despite being Siva Ganas, they engaged in disputes over various matters. In one intense altercation, Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to incarnate as an elephant on Earth, and in retaliation, Pushpadanta cursed Malyavan to take the form of a spider.

Both the elephant and the spider descended to the earthly realm and arrived at Thiruvanaikaval, where they continued their unwavering worship of Lord Shiva. The elephant, with deep reverence, collected water from the sacred Cauvery River and performed daily abhishekam to the lingam beneath the Jambu tree. Meanwhile, the spider diligently wove a web over the lingam, preventing dry leaves from falling on the lingam and shielding it from direct sunlight.

One day, the elephant, mistaking the spider's web for dust, tore it apart and cleansed the lingam with water, as was its routine. The spider, agitated by this act, crawled into the elephant's trunk and bit it, leading to the death of both the elephant and the spider.

Witnessing the profound devotion of these two beings, Shiva, in the form of Jambukeswara, was moved. Touched by their commitment, he decided to lift their mutual curses. In this sacred place where an elephant fervently worshipped Siva, the site came to be known as Thiru Aanai Kaa (thiru meaning holy, aanai meaning elephant, kaa or kaadu meaning forest). Over time, the name evolved into Thiruvanaikaval.

As a consequence of the sin committed by killing the elephant, the spider was reborn as King Kochengot Chola (meaning "red-eyed king"). In his subsequent life, King Kochengot Chola, driven by remorse, embarked on a virtuous path. He undertook the construction of 70 temples, and among them, the temple at Thiruvanaikaval is significant.

The account of King Kochengot Chola building seventy temples, including the one at Thiruvanaikaval, is documented in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Recalling his past enmity with the elephant, he ensured that the sanctum sanctorum (Siva Sannidhi) of Jambukeswara was constructed in such a way that not even a small elephant could enter. The entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of Jambukeswara measures only 1.2 meters (4 feet) in height and 0.76 meters (2.5 feet) in width. This unique feature is attributed to the king's deep-seated remorse and his desire to prevent any symbol of his past misdeed from entering the sacred space.

Sannidhi of Akilandeswari

The idols of Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari in this temple are uniquely positioned facing each other, a characteristic that designates it as an Upadesa Sthalam. In this divine setting, the relationship between the goddess Akilandeshwari and Jambukeswara is likened to that of a student and teacher, respectively. Notably, unlike in other Shiva temples, there is no Thiru Kalyanam (marriage ceremony) conducted between Shiva and Parvathi in this sacred space.

The sanctums of goddess Akilandeshwari and Prasanna Vinayaka are crafted in the shape of the sacred Aum symbol, representing the pranava mantra. Legend has it that the goddess, once in a state of profound anger, was pacified during one of Adi Sankara's visits. He strategically placed the Prasanna Ganapathy idol directly opposite her sanctum and adorned her with a pair of Sri Chakra thaatankas (earrings) to assuage her fury.

Within the temple, there is a notable sculpture of Ekapada Trimurti, a manifestation of Shiva with deities Vishnu and Brahma emerging from it. This unique depiction is also found in the Thyagaraja Temple in Tiruvottiyur, making it a distinctive feature of these sacred spaces.

Theerthams

There are nine Theerthams in this temple, all of which are held very sacred.

1. Brahma Theertham - his is in the South side of 4th Prakaram.
2. Indra Theertham -This is in the 3rd Prakaram opposite to Kasi Viswanatha Swami sannidhi.
3. Jambu Theertham - This is in the South West 3rd Prakaram near the old Jambukeshwarar temple 
4. Rama Theertham -This is outside the temple. Just directly opposite to the temple across the G.S.T Road. You can see this on the way to the Srirangam. This is where the Thai Poosam theppam festival is celebrated. This Theertham is full of beautiful Lotus flower plants.
5. Srimath Theertham -This is nothing but the water spring oozing inside the Sanctorum of Lord Shiva.
6. Agni Theertham - This is the well in the South East corner of 3rd Prakaram. Just opposite on the side of Vasantha Mandapam and temple Nandhavanam.
7. Agathiya Theertham -This is the small well opposite to Amman sannadhi and close the Palli Arai.
8. Soma Theertham - Its believed that this is the same as Chandra Pushkarni  in the Srirangam temple.
9. Soorya Theertham -This is in the South West corner of the 4th prakaram. Just opposite to the 1000 pillar mandapam. This Tank is architecturally beautifully built with two stories of Mandapams around the tank. 

Festivals

• Panguni Brahmotsavam
• Aadi Pooram

Timings

• 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location

How to reach Jambukeswarar temple

From Chennai:

By Road:

Take NH45 (National Highway 45) towards south.

Pass through cities like Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Perambalur.

Once you reach Trichy, follow the signs to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Train:

Board a train from Chennai Central to Tiruchirapalli Junction.

From Tiruchirapalli Junction, you can hire a taxi or take a local bus to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Air:

The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport (TRZ).

From the airport, you can hire a taxi or use public transportation to reach Thiruvanaikaval.

From Madurai:

By Road:

Take NH45B towards north.

Pass through cities like Dindigul and Trichy.

Follow the signs to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Train:

Board a train from Madurai Junction to Tiruchirapalli Junction.

From Tiruchirapalli Junction, you can hire a taxi or take a local bus to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Air:

The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport (TRZ).

From the airport, you can hire a taxi or use public transportation to reach Thiruvanaikaval.

From Coimbatore:

By Road:

Take NH67 towards east.

Pass through cities like Erode, Karur, and Namakkal.

Once you reach Trichy, follow the signs to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Train:

Board a train from Coimbatore Junction to Tiruchirapalli Junction.

From Tiruchirapalli Junction, you can hire a taxi or take a local bus to Thiruvanaikaval.

By Air:

The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport (TRZ).

From the airport, you can hire a taxi or use public transportation to reach Thiruvanaikaval.